Archive · 20 Sep 2026
Rural NBFCs Post Strong Profits, Face Monsoon Collection Test
Two companies that lend money in rural India had very strong results in the first quarter of FY27.
MMFS increased its profit by 75%, while L&T Finance achieved its highest-ever quarterly profit.
Both companies also improved the quality of their loans.
MMFS grew quickly in tractor lending, which depends heavily on farmers’ incomes and harvests.
L&T Finance has a more varied business, including personal loans, gold loans, two-wheelers, and rural lending.
This variety may reduce its dependence on farming income, but it does not remove the risk.
Rainfall has been uneven across India and is reported to be 15% below the long-period average.
Investors will watch whether borrowers continue making payments during the next two quarters.
MMFS trades at a lower valuation, while L&T Finance carries a larger premium that requires continued growth and lower credit costs.
Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services’ Q1FY27 net profit rose 75% year over year to ₹927 crore.
L&T Finance reported record quarterly profit of ₹902 crore, up nearly 29% year over year.
MMFS disbursements reached a record ₹15,564 crore, while its assets under management rose 13% to ₹1.46 lakh crore.
L&T Finance’s loan book grew 27% to ₹1,29,634 crore, supported by strong retail and diversified lending growth.
Erratic rainfall could test collections, particularly MMFS’s rapidly expanding tractor-finance portfolio and LTF’s rural lending book.
- Who
- Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services (MMFS) and L&T Finance (LTF), two rural-facing non-bank finance companies.
- What
- Both reported stronger Q1FY27 earnings, growth, profitability, and asset-quality metrics, while facing potential monsoon-related collection risks.
- When
- The results concern Q1FY27; valuation data was reported as of 19 August 2026, with the next two quarters identified as important for collections.
- Where
- India, where rainfall has been uneven across states and rural lending is exposed to agricultural cash flows.
- Why
- Erratic and below-average rainfall could affect farm income, rural cash flows, and borrowers’ ability to repay loans.
MMFS’s Concentrated Turnaround
LTF’s Diversified Growth
Resilience to rural stress
MMFS’s Concentrated Turnaround
MMFS has improved profitability, asset quality, liquidity, and capital buffers, but its rapid tractor-finance growth leaves it more exposed to farm income and monsoon conditions.
LTF’s Diversified Growth
LTF’s broader mix of personal, two-wheeler, gold, SME, and rural-business lending may reduce dependence on agricultural cash flows, although rural lending remains significant.
Credit-cost outlook
MMFS’s Concentrated Turnaround
MMFS’s credit cost fell to 1.5%, already below the target range cited in the article, supporting its turnaround case.
LTF’s Diversified Growth
LTF’s credit cost improved to 2.54% but remains above its long-term target of below 2%, leaving more of the turnaround dependent on further improvement.
Valuation and investor expectations
MMFS’s Concentrated Turnaround
MMFS trades near its five-year and industry median price-to-book levels, despite improved return on assets and credit costs.
LTF’s Diversified Growth
LTF trades at a substantial premium to its five-year and industry median price-to-book levels, so continued retail growth, improving returns, and lower credit costs are needed to support that premium.
- MMFS Q1FY27 profit
- ₹927 crore, up 75.2% year over year
- LTF Q1FY27 profit
- ₹902 crore, up 28.7% year over year, its highest-ever quarterly profit
- MMFS loan growth
- Assets under management rose 13% to ₹1.46 lakh crore
- LTF loan growth
- Loan book rose 27% to ₹1,29,634 crore
- MMFS asset quality
- Gross Stage 3 fell to 3.5%; combined Gross Stage 2 and 3 stood at 8.3%
- LTF credit cost
- Credit cost declined to 2.54%, but remained above its long-term target of below 2%
- Monsoon conditions
- Rainfall was reported at 15% below the long-period average, with deficits of up to 42% in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar